COMMENTARY Reporter Newspapers
Traffic: Find a new conversation topic
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When you’re stuck in an elevator with a stranger, grabbing coffee with a colleague you don’t know so well or waiting for everyone to arrive for the 9 a.m. staff meeting, what is your go-to small talk? Traffic. We all know that it’s an inevitable truth in Atlanta. Each morning, millions of Atlantans travel to their workplace during the same peak hours as everyone else and are being stopped at the same intersections day after day. Perimeter Connects, the new commute program of the Perimeter Community Improvement Districts (PCIDs), is here to help you find a commute alternative to give you more choices for how you travel and to change your conversation topic.
Founder & Publisher Steve Levene stevelevene@reporternewspapers.net
Find a new route. The Perimeter area is anchored by three MARTA stations and multiple last-mile connections with frontdoor shuttle service to most of the em-
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Editorial Managing Editor Joe Earle joeearle@reporternewspapers.net Associate Editor: John Ruch Intown Editor: Collin Kelley Staff Writer: Ellen Eldridge Copy Editor: Diane L. Wynocker Creative and Production Graphic Designer: Isadora Pennington Advertising Director of Sales Development Amy Arno amyarno@reporternewspapers.net Senior Account Executives Jeff Kremer Janet Porter Account Executives Susan Lesesne Jim Speakman Office Manager Deborah Davis
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The Perimeter Community Improvement Districts want to help commuters find alternative routes and transportation options.
ployers located a fair distance away from these stations. MARTA has seen some great improvements in the past few years. As a regular MARTA rider myself, I have truly appreciated the real-time arrival information for all buses and trains using the OneBusAway or MARTA On The Go apps and the free Wi-Fi on the train. This allows for so much more flexibility in my day, and I honestly feel as if I have more freedom with my commute than when I drive. MARTA has also increased rail frequency, with trains arriving every 10 minutes during peak periods, and increased public safety presence on the trains and in the stations. New GRTA Xpress commuter bus routes will be headed to Perimeter in 2016. With only one Xpress bus in Perimeter now, this will be a great opportunity for commuters. Traveling during peak commute times, these comfortable buses will be routing from Forsyth, Gwinnett, Cobb and Rockdale counties. Rideshare. Millions of commuters travel each morning. Chances are, quite a few of those motorists are headed to Perimeter from your area. You can switch off driving responsibilities and have a personal driver bring you in every other week while you sit in the passenger seat. You can either start the carpool the old-fashioned way, by reaching out to those neighbors or coworkers who share your workplace, or put some technology around it. Perimeter Connects partners with Georgia Commute Options to provide access to a ride-matching database, which allows you to receive a list of potential neighbors who share similar work hours to you. The excuse “no one lives near me” is a thought of the past. Flexibility. In this evolving workplace, flexible work arrangements are key to increased retention and recruitment. Most
employers are offering some type of flexibility, whether it’s staggered shift schedules, compressed work weeks or telework programs. Flexibility EMILY is also critical HARR when choosing a comGUEST COLUMN mute mode. Riding to work on the train may not work for you every day. We are not asking that you give up your car, but we are asking that you switch it up every once in a while, or more often. The good news is that you’ll never be stranded without a guaranteed ride home in case of emergency. A benefit we have in the market is access to free parking available at most places in Perimeter. This free parking allows for you to make a choice week-to-week on which commute mode would work best for you without having to completely relinquish access to your favorite spot. Try MARTA for an entire week, find a new favorite seat and then use your car when needed. The parking spot will be there for you. Emily Haar is program manager for Perimeter Connects, a commute services program of the Perimeter Center Improvement Districts. Perimeter Connects offers no-cost consultation services on telework consulting, discounted transit pass sales, rideshare services and personalized commute planning. Learn more at PerimeterConnects.com or contact Emily@PerimeterConnects.com for more information on building a commute program for your organization.
deborahdavis@reporternewspapers.net Contributors Keith Bell, Mary Helen Kelly, Phil Mosier, Christopher North
A big fan of Robin
Volunteer to tutor
I’ve already written once directly Thank you for introducing us to to Robin Jean Marie Conte to tell her the Reading Buddies Program at how much I look forward Lake Forest Elementary to reading her column in School. [“These ‘budFree Home Delivery our “Sandy Springs Redies’ bond over a good LE TTE RS TO 65,000 copies of Reporter Newspapers are delivered porter.” So now I figure it book,” Reporter Newsby carriers to homes in ZIP codes 30305, 30319, THE E DITOR is time for you to hear it. papers, July 24-Aug. 6]. 30326, 30327, 30328, 30338, 30342 and 30350 and You know the saying, The Sandy Springs to more than 500 business/retail locations. E-mail letters to For locations, check “Where To Find Us” “Read what you like and editor@reporternewspapers.net Education Force is an at www.ReporterNewspapers.net have fun, read who you amazing organization For delivery requests, please email like and make friends.” that does impressive delivery@reporternewspapers.net. Well, with this delightful things. I would like to © 2015 With all rights reserved “writer and mother of four” I get to read provide your readers with informaPublisher reserves the right to refuse editorial or advertising for any reason. Publisher assumes both what and who I like. Thanks for tion for additional opportunities. no responsibility for information contained in bringing it—her—to your paper. We are the Atlanta Jewish Coaliadvertising. Any opinions expressed in print or online do not necessarily represent the views of tion for Literacy, a program of NCJW Reporter Newspapers or Springs Publishing, LLC. Charles Papa | | 10 SEPT. 18 – OCT. 1, 2015 www.ReporterNewspapers.net
Atlanta. We have approximately 150 volunteers servicing eight metro Atlanta Title 1 schools. Three Sandy Springs schools are served, including Lake Forest, Dunwoody Springs and High Point Elementary schools. We provide tutors for grades K-3. Our tutors receive formal training and background checks. When a student masters a book, they may keep that book. Our tutors encourage the student to read to their younger siblings at home. Many times it is the first book in the home. If you would like to volunteer, please call the NCJW office at 404843-9600. Rachel Rosner BK